FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P E A LS E LE V EN T HC IRC U IT JANUARY 3, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 11094 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D. C . Do c k e tNo . 0 3 - 6 1 9 7 7 - C V- J AL Q U I N T O N H A W T H O RN E , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s S H E R I F F O F B R O W A R D C O U N T Y , K e n J e n n e , D e f e n d a n t, B E RN A R D B R O W N , W I L L I E D O W E , D e f e n d a n ts - A p p e lle e s .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe S outhe rn D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Jan u ar y 3, 2007)As discussed below, in reviewinga motion for summary judgment, we construethe 1 fac ts in the light most favora ble to the non-movingparty . Wood v. Kesler, 323 F .3d 872, 875 n.1 (11th Cir. 2003). 2 B efo re T JO F L A T , H U L L an d K R A V IT C H , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: Q ui nt on H a w thorne , a F l or i da s t a t e pr i s one rpr oc e e di ng pr o s e , appe a l s the di stri ctcourt ’ s gra ntof sum m ary j ud gm entt o B row ar d C ou nty S heri ff’ s D eput i es B e rn a r d B r o w n a n d W illie D o w e ( th e “O f f ic e r s ” ) o n h is 4 2 U .S .C . § 1 9 8 3 c la im a l l e gi ng tha tthe of

f i c e r s vi ol a t e d hi s r i ght s unde rthe F our th A m e ndm e nt . F orthe r e a s o n s th a tf

o l l o w , w e a f

f i r m. I . Ba c k g r o und T h e f a c ts in th e lig h t m o s t f

a v o r a b le to H a w th o rn e a r e a s f o llo w s . O n J u ly

1 2 6 , 2 0 0 2 , O f

f ic e r s B r o w n a n d D o w e w e n t to th e h o m e o f H a w th o rn e ’s f

a th e rto q u e s tio n H a w th o rn e a b o u t a b u r g la ry . U p o n th e O f f ic e r s ’ a rr iv a l, th e y to ld H a w thorne , w ho w a s out s i de the r e s i de nc e , tha tthe y w a nt e d t o que s t i on hi m a bout hi s pos s i bl e i nvol ve m e nti n a bur gl a ry a nd tha tthe y w i s he d t o t a ke hi m t o the s ta tio n f o rq u e s tio n in g . I n r e s p o n s e , H a w th o rn e b e c a m e b e llig e r e n t a n d v e rb a lly ab u si v e, t el l i n g th e O ffi cers th ath e h ad n o th i n g t o say u n l ess th ey h ad an arrest w a rr a n t . A s th e O f

f i c e r s c o n t i n u e d th e i ra tt e mp t s t o q u e s t i o n H a w th o rn e , a ts o meOf fi c e rsB ro wn

and Do wea ssert

that at th is p oint, H awtho rn epu sh e d O ff ic e r B ro wn

in 2 the che st. Hawthorne , however, denie s ever pushing or

striking Of

ficer B rown. In his original complaint, Hawthornealso named Sheriff Ken J enne a s a def endant. The 3 dis tric t c ourt , h ow e ver, dis mis se d th ec omp laint a s toJenn epurs ua

nt to 2 8 U .S. C. § 1915(2)( 2)(b) (ii) for f

ailure to state a

claim upon which relief c ould be grante d. 3 poi nt , a s truggl e e ns ue d. D ur i ng the s truggl e , H a w thorne gr a s pe d ont o the hood 2 of the O f f i c e r s ’ ve hi c l e i n or de rt o r e s i s tthe i re f f or t s t o r e s tr a i n hi m . A s the s truggl e c ont i nue d, H a w thorne bi ti nt o O f f i c e rD ow e ’ s a r m . A f

t e rH a w thorne i gn ored the O ff

i ce rs ’ orders t o st op bi t i ng D ow e’ s a rm , O ff i ce r B row n struck H aw tho rne i n the fa ce i n an eff ortt o st op the bi t i ng . U l t i m at el y, the O ff i ce rs w er e f o r c e d u s e d p e p p e rs p r a y to s u b d u e H a w th o rn e lo n g e n o u g h to p la c e h im in ha ndc uf f s . H a w thorne c ont i nue d t o ki c k a nd thr a s h a bouta f t e rhe w a s ha ndc uf

f e d, a n d a f te rh e w a s p la c e d in s id e a n o th e rd e p u ty ’s v e h ic le , h e k ic k e d o u t a w in d o w . In h er d ep o si t i o n , H aw th o rn e’ s w i fe t est i fi ed th atj u stm i n u t es b efo re th e O ffi cers’ arri val , H aw tho rne had drank severa l beer s a nd snort ed tw o b ags of c ocai ne. H aw tho rne w as char ged w i th b att ery on a l aw enforce m entoffi ce r, a ggr a va t e d ba tt e ry on a l a w e nf or c e m e ntof

f i c e r , a nd r e s i s t i ng a l a w e nf or c e m e nt offi ce r w i th v i ol ence . H e pl ea ded n o con t es tt o, and w as conv i ct ed of, al l three c h a r g e s . W h i l e i n p r e tr i a l d e t e n t i o n , H a w th o rn e f i l e d a c o mp l a i n tu n d e r4 2 U . S. C. § 1983 a ga i ns tO f

f i c e r s B r ow n a nd D ow e i n the i ri ndi vi dua l c apa c i t i e s , a l l e gi ng 3 thatthey had arr es t ed hi m w i tho utprob abl e c ause , m ade f al se st at em ent s, and u se d4

e x c e s s iv e f

o r c e to e f

f e c tu a te h is a rr e s t. T h e O f f ic e r s m o v e d to d is m is s o r , in th e a lte rn a tiv e , f o ra m o r e d e f

in ite s ta te m e n t, a n d H a w th o rn e r e s p o n d e d b y e lab o r a tin g o n h is c la im s . T h e m a g is tr a te j udge c ons true d H a w thorne ’ s r e s pons e a s a n a m e nde d c om pl a i nta l l e gi ng tha tthe O f f ic e r s v io la te d H a w th o rn e ’s F o u r th A m e n d m e n t r ig h ts b y : ( 1 ) a rr e s tin g h im w i thoute i the ra w a rr a ntorpr oba bl e c a us e ; ( 2) f a l s e l y s t a t i ng tha the c om m i tt e d the offe nses for w hi ch he w as conv i ct ed t o sup po rtthe charges agai nsthi m and cov er u p th e irb ru ta lity ; a n d ( 3 ) u s in g e x c e s s iv e f o r c e to e f

f e c tu a te h is a rr e s t. F ol l ow i ng di s c ove ry , the O f f i c e r s f i l e d m ot i ons f

ors um m a ry j udgm e nta nd t o di s m i s s , t o w hi c h H a w thorne f i l e d a r e s pons e . T he m a gi s tr a t e j udge e nt e r e d a 12- pa ge r e por tout l i ni ng the hi s t or y of the l i t i ga t i on, the f

a c t s , a nd the c ontr ol l i ng l aw , and recom m endi ng thatsum m ary j ud gm entbe grant ed t o the O ff i ce rs . A ft er r e vi e w i ng the r e c or d, the m a gi s tr a t e ’ s r e por t , a nd H a w thorne ’ s obj e c t i ons , the di s tr i c tc our ta dopt e d the r e por ta nd gr a nt e d s um m a ry j udgm e nti n f a vorof the O f f ic e r s . H a w th o rn e tim e ly f ile d th is ap p e a l. I I . D i s c u s s i on W e r e vi e w a di s tr i c tc our t ’ s gr a ntof s um m a ry j udgm e ntde novo, vi e w i ng the e vi de nc e i n the l i ghtm os tf a vor a bl e t o the pa r ty oppos i ng the m ot i on. C ott on v . C r a c k e rB a rr e l O ld C o u n try S to r e , I n c ., 4 3 4 F .3 d 1 2 2 7 , 1 2 3 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) .5

S u m m a ry ju d g m e n t is ap p r o p r ia te if th e p le a d in g s , d e p o s itio n s , a n s w e r s to i nt e rr oga t or i e s , a nd a dm i s s i ons on f i l e , t oge the rw i th the a f

f i da vi t s , i f

a ny , s how th e r e a r e n o g e n u in e is s u e s a s to a n y m a te r ia l f a c t a n d th a t th e m o v in g p a r ty is e nt i t l e d t o j udgm e nta s a m a tt e rof l a w . F e d. R . C i v. P . 56( c ) . “ I n de t e r m i ni ng w hether a n i ss ue of fa cti s ‘ genu i ne’ for the pu rpose of defe at i ng sum m ary j udgm e nt , w e a s k w he the rthe e vi de nc e i s s uc h tha ta r e a s ona bl e j ury c oul d r e turn a ve r di c tf orthe nonm ovi ng pa r ty . ” H udge ns v. B e l l H e l i c opt e r s / T e xtr on, 328 F . 3d 1 3 2 9 , 1 3 4 4 - 4 5 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) ( c ita tio n s o m itte d ) . O n c e th e m o v in g p a r ty m e e ts i t s burden o f s ho w i ng the abse nce of a genui ne i ss ue of m at er i al fa ct , the bu rden s hi f t s t o the non- m ovi ng pa r ty t o s ubm i ts uf f i c i e nte vi de nc e t o r e butthe s how i ng w i th a f f i da vi t s orothe rr e l e va nta dm i s s i bl e e vi de nc e . A vi r ga n v. H ul l , 932 F . 2d 1 5 7 2 , 1 5 7 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 1 ) . A . A rrestW i th o u tP ro b ab l e C au se F i rs t , w e m ustre sol ve w hether there i s agenu i ne i ss ue of m at er i al fa ct co n cern i n g w h eth er O ffi cers B ro w n an d D o w e h ad p ro b ab l e cau se t o arrest H a w th o rn e . H a w th o rn e c la im s th a t p r o b a b le c a u s e c o u ld n o t h a v e e x is te d f o rh is a rr e s tbe c a us e the O f

f i c e r s a tt e m pt e d t o que s t i on hi m a bouta bur gl a ry w i thout e ith e ra w a rr a n t o rp r o b a b le c a u s e to s u s p e c t h is in v o lv e m e n t. T h is c la im i m pl i c a t e s the F our th A m e ndm e nt ’ s gua r a nt e e a ga i ns tunr e a s ona bl e s e a r c he s a nd6

s e iz u r e s , w h ic h “e n c o m p a s s e s th e r ig h t to b e f r e e f r o m a rr e s t w ith o u t p r o b a b le c a us e . ” C r os by v. M onr oe C ounty , 394 F . 3d 1328, 1332 ( 11th C i r . 2004) . T he d istrict co u rt (v ia it s a d o p ti o n o f th e m ag istrate’s r ep o rt) h eld th at H aw th o rn e’s f a ls e a rr e s t c la im w a s b a rr e d u n d e rH e c k v . H u m p h r e y , 5 1 2 U .S . 4 7 7 , 1 1 4 S .C t. 23 64 , 12 9 L . E d. 2d 38 3 (19 94 ), or, i f notH ec k-barr ed, w as subj ec tt o sum m ary di sposi t i on base d o n the O ff i ce rs ’ ent i t l em entt o q ual i fi ed i m m un i ty. W e a gree w i th the l a tt e rde t e r m i na t i on. A go vernm entoffi ci al sued for aconst i tut i on al vi ol at i on un der § 19 83 m ay s e e k s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t o n th e g r o u n d th a t h e is e n title d to q u a lif ie d im m u n ity . C r os by , 394 F . 3d a t1332. Q ua l i f i e d i m m uni ty pr ot e c t s f

r om l i a bi l i ty gove rnm e nt o f f ic ia ls s u e d in th e irin d iv id u a l c ap a c itie s if th e irc o n d u c t “d o e s n o t v io la te c le a r ly e s tab lis h e d s ta tu to ry o rc o n s titu tio n a l r ig h ts o f w h ic h a r e a s o n a b le p e r s o n w o u ld ha ve know n. ” V i ny a r d v. W i l s on, 311 F . 3d 1340, 1346 ( 11th C i r . 2002) ( quot i ng H a r l ow v. F i t z ge r a l d, 457 U . S . 800, 818, 102 S . C t . 2727, 2738, 73 L . E d. 2d 396 (1 9 8 2 )). T o b e el i g i b l e fo r q u al i fi ed i m m u n i ty, a g o v ern m en to ffi ci al fi rstm u st show thathe w as perf

orm i ng a di sc re t i on ary f un ct i on atthe t i m e the al l eged vi ol at i on of fe dera l l aw occurre d. C rosby, 39 4 F . 3d at13 32 . O nce the offi ci al has e s t a bl i s he d tha the w a s e nga ge d i n a di s c r e t i ona ry f unc t i on, the pl a i nt i f

f be a r s the bur de n of

de m ons tr a t i ng tha tthe of f i c i a l i s note nt i t l e d t o qua l i f i e d i m m uni ty bySee F la. Stat. Ann. §§ 784.03, 784.045, 784.07, 843.01. 4 7 show i ng (1) thatthe defendanthas c om m i tt ed a c on st i tut i on al vi ol at i on and (2) that th e c o n s t i tu t i o n a l r i g h tth e d e f e n d a n tv i o l a t e d w a s “ c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e d ” a tth e t i me th e v io la tio n o c c u rr e d . I d . “I n th e c o n te x t o f a c la im f

o rf a ls e a rr e s t, a n o f

f ic e ris e n title d to q u a lif

ie d im m u n ity w h e r e th a t o f f ic e rh a d ‘a r g u a b le p r o b a b le c a u s e ’” to e f f e c tu a te th e a rr e s t. D a v is v . W illia m s , 4 5 1 F .3 d 7 5 9 , 7 6 2 - 6 3 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) . A r g u a b l e p r o b a b l e c a u s e e x i s t s w h e r e a n o b j e c t i v e l y r e a s o n a b l e o f

f i c e ri n th e s a me c i r c um s t a nc e s a nd pos s e s s i ng the s a m e know l e dge a s the of f i c e r s e f f e c tua t i ng the a rr e s tc oul d ha ve be l i e ve d tha tpr oba bl e c a us e e xi s t e d. S e e T hornt on v. C i ty of M ac on , 13 2 F . 3d 13 95 , 13 99 (11t h C i r. 19 98 ). H e r e , it is u n d is p u te d th a t th e O f f ic e r s w e r e a c tin g w ith in th e s c o p e o f th e ir di sc re t i on ary autho ri ty w hen t hey a rr es t ed H aw tho rne. M oreover, i ti s und i sput ed thatw hen t he O ff

i ce rs att em pt ed t o t ake H aw tho rne i nt o cust od y, (1) he gras ped the hood of

the O f f i c e r s ’ ve hi c l e a nd w oul d notl e tgo; ( 2) he bi tO f f i c e rD ow e on the a r m a nd i gnor e d the O f f i c e r s ’ or de r s t o s t op; a nd ( 3) the O f f i c e r s di d nots tr i ke H aw tho rne unt i l he began b i t i ng D ow e. B as ed on these fa ct s, a r ea sonabl e off i ce r c oul d ha ve be l i e ve d tha ta r gua bl e pr oba bl e c a us e e xi s t e d t o a rr e s tH a w thorne f or th e o f f e n s e s w ith w h ic h h e w a s c h a r g e d

— r e s is tin g a la w e n f o r c e m e n t o f

f ic e rw ith vi ol ence , batt ery, and agg ra vat ed bat t ery on a l aw enforce m entoffi ce r. 48

R eg ard l ess o f w h eth er th e O ffi cers h ad a w arran to r p ro b ab l e cau se t o arrest H aw th o rn e f

o r th e b u rg lary w h en th ey in it iall y a p p ro ac h ed h im , H aw th o rn e’s a c tio n s th e r e a f

te rc o n s titu te d a n in te r v e n in g s e t o f e v e n ts g iv in g r is e to ( a t le a s t) a r gua bl e pr oba bl e c a us e f orhi s a rr e s t . T hus , w e c onc l ude tha tH a w thorne ha s not s how n ac ons t i tut i ona l vi ol a t i on, a nd w e ne e d notpr oc e e d t o the s e c ond que s t i on i n the qu al i fi ed i m m un i ty a nal ys i s ( the “ cl ea rl y e st abl i shed” i nq ui ry ). S ee V i ny a r d, 311 F . 3d a t1346. B . F a ls e S ta te m e n ts O ur nexti nq ui ry i s w hether there i s agenu i ne i ss ue of m at er i al fa ct c o n c e rn in g w h e th e rth e O f f ic e r s v io la te d H a w th o rn e ’s F o u r th A m e n d m e n t r ig h ts by fa l se l y s t at i ng i n thei r pol i ce re po rtthathe had v i ol ent l y r es i st ed and b att er ed them i n o rderj ust i fy the arre stand cov erup thei r a l l eged brut al i ty. T he court bel ow det erm i ned t hatthi s c l ai m of fa l se st at em ent s w as barr ed un der H ec k b e c a u s e if

H a w th o rn e w e r e to p r e v a il, th is w o u ld n e c e s s a r ily im p ly th e in v a lid ity o f h is u n d e r ly in g c o n v ic tio n s . W e a g r e e . U nd erH ec k, a s t at e pri soner m ay no tbri ng a c l ai m for dam ages un der § 1983 “ i f

a j udgm e nti n f

a vorof the pl a i nt i f

f w oul d ne c e s s a r i l y i m pl y the i n v al i d i ty o f h i s co n v i ct i o n . ” H eck , 5 1 2 U . S . at4 8 7 , 1 1 4 S . C t . at2 3 7 2 . T h u s, un l es s the pl ai nt i ff

-pri soner c an dem on stra t e thatthe conv i ct i on or se nt ence has9

a l r e a dy be e n i nva l i da t e d, the c om pl a i ntm us tbe di s m i s s e d. I d. H e r e , H a w thorne cont ends thatthe O ff

i ce rs fa l se l y s t at ed thathe com m i tt ed the offens es for w hi ch h e is n o w in c a r c e r a te d . T o p r e v a il o n th is c la im , H a w th o rn e m u s t n e c e s s a r ily es t abl i sh thathe d id

n o t c o m m it th e o f

f e n s e s f o rw h ic h h e w a s c o n v ic te d . H e n c e , a j udgm e nti n H a w thorne ’ s f a voron thi s c l a i m w oul d ne c e s s a r i l y i m pl y the i nv al i di ty of hi s und er l yi ng conv i ct i on s. B ec ause H aw tho rne has no tdem on stra t ed th a t h is c o n v ic tio n s h a v e a lr e a d y b e e n in v a lid a te d , th is c la im is b a rr e d u n d e rH e c k . S e e i d. a t487, 114 S . C t . a t2372. C . E xces si ve F orce W e n e x t tu rn to H a w th o rn e ’s c la im th a t th e O f f ic e r s u s e d e x c e s s iv e f

o r c e to e f f e c tu a te h is a rr e s t. T h e c o u r t b e lo w h e ld th a t th e O f f ic e r s w e r e e n title d to q u a lif ie d im m u n ity o n th is c la im . W e a g r e e . T he us e of

e xc e s s i ve f

or c e i n c a rry i ng outa n a rr e s tc ons t i tut e s a vi ol a t i on of the F our th A m e ndm e nt . G r a ha m v. C onnor , 490 U . S . 386, 394, 109 S . C t . 1865, 1870- 71, 104 L . E d. 2d 443 ( 1989) . N one the l e s s , thi s c our tr e c ogni z e s “ tha tthe ty pi c a l a rr e s ti nvol ve s s om e f or c e a nd i nj ury . ” R odr i gue z v. F a rr e l l , 280 F . 3d 1 3 4 1 , 1 3 5 1 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ) . I n e x c e s s iv e f o r c e c a s e s , a n o f

f ic e rw ill b e e n title d to q u a lif ie d im m u n ity “if

a n o b je c tiv e ly r e a s o n a b le o f

f ic e rin th e s a m e s itu a tio n c o u ld h a v e b e lie v e d th a t th e f o r c e u s e d w a s n o t e x c e s s iv e .” V in y a r d , 3 1 1 F .3 d a t 1 3 4 6 .10

“ [ T ] he appl i c a t i on of

de m i ni m i s f

or c e , w i thoutm or e , w i l l nots uppor ta c l a i m f or e xc e s s i ve f

or c e i n vi ol a t i on of

the F our th A m e ndm e nt . ” N ol i n v. I s be l l , 207 F . 3d 12 53 , 12 57 (11t h C i r. 20 00 ). H e r e , i ti s undi s put e d tha tw he n the O f f i c e r s a tt e m pt e d t o t a ke H a w thorne i nt o c us t ody , ( 1) H a w thorne gr a s pe d ont o the hood of the O f f i c e r s ’ ve hi c l e a nd w o u ld n o t le t g o ; ( 2 ) h e b it O f f ic e rD o w e a n d c o n tin u e d th e b itin g d e s p ite o r d e r s to s t op; ( 3) the O f

f i c e r s ne ve rs truc k H a w thorne unt i l he bi tD ow e ; a nd ( 4) the O ff i ce rs coul d n oteven hand cuff H aw tho rne unt i l he w as subd ued w i th p epper spra y, and even t hen, he cont i nu ed t o k i ck and t hras h abo ut . A l tho ug h the O ff i ce rs adm i tthatO ff

i ce r B row n struck H aw tho rne i n the fa ce , no thi ng i n the re cord corr ob orat es H aw tho rne’ s a ss ert i on thatthe O ff i ce rs bang ed or sl am m ed hi s hea d on t o a po l i ce ca r. A nd i n h erdepo si t i on , H aw tho rne’ s w i fe t es t i fi ed that H aw tho rne had drank severa l beer s a nd snort ed cocai ne short l y bef ore the O ff

i ce rs arri ved. F i nal l y, F i re R es cue C apt ai n Joh n O ’ B erry , w ho i nt ervi ew ed and t re at ed H a w th o rn e f

o llo w in g h is a rr e s t, r e p o r te d s e e in g n o b ru is e s , e d e m a , o rb le e d in g . O n the s e f

a c t s , a r e a s ona bl e of

f i c e rc oul d ha ve be l i e ve d tha tthe f or c e us e d dur i ng H aw tho rne’ s a rr es tw as no texce ss i ve. A cc ordi ng l y, w e c on cl ud e thatthe force us e d by the O f

f i c e r s t o e f

f e c tua t e H a w thorne ’ s a rr e s tdi d notvi ol a t e the C o n s titu tio n .11 I I I . C on c l u s i on F or the foregoi ng re as on s, w e AF F I RM th e ju d g m e n ts o f th e d is tr ic t c o u r t.